Biography of RAMIRO MENDES

Cape Verde > Music : RAMIRO MENDES

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Born on 05/07/1961 (format : day/month/year)

Biography :

Ramiro Mendes born July 5, 1961 is a Producer . Arranger . Artist . Composer . Humanitarian from Cape Verde.A multi-instrumentalist and composer, Mendes continues to play an influential role in the music's evolution.

Ramiro Mendes is a multi-Grammy Ballot Nominated music producer, composer and artist with an exemplary music career that spans over 25 years of music production and composition.

In 2006, Ramiro Mendes was awarded “The Order Of Volcano”, the highest civilian medal, by the President of Cape Verde, his Excellency Pedro Verona Pires, for his distinguished contribution to Cape Verdean music and culture. As co-founding member of the Mendes Bothers,

Mr. Mendes was also recognized by the Prime Minister of Cape Verde, Dr. José Maria Neves with a “Medal of Merit” for his invaluable contribution to the music of Cape Verde.

Born in the small village of Palonkon on the island of Fogo, Cape Verde, Ramiro immigrated to the United States in 1978.

In 1993, he graduated from the world-renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, with degrees in Commercial Arranging and Film Scoring. During the past 25 years, Ramiro has had tremendous influence on Lusophone African music. He has produced/Arranged for all the major stars of Lusophone Africa, including Cesaria Evora, Bana, Tito Paris, Gil Semedo, Waldemar Bastos (Angola), Kafala Brothers (Angola), Tino Trimó (Guinea Bissau), and Djosinha, not to mention 6 albums of for his musical group, Mendes Brothers. Under his leadership, the Mendes Brothers’ distinct signature sound has become the ‘standard’ Cape Verdean sound for the country’s major musical genres, including ‘Morna’ and ‘Coladera’.

Mr. Mendes is also recognized as a world-class composer having crafted countless hits songs, including the signature song, Angola, which propelled Cesaria Evora to world stardom, becoming one of the most internationally recognized African song of all times, with more than 100 versions in numerous languages.

Ramiro is an expert on Cape Verdean and Lusophone African music, cited on many books and publications, including the "African American Music/An Introduction" (Schirmer Books), by renowned Dr. Earl Stewart. In 2007, Ramiro Mendes was appointed Cultural Ambassador of Mineseker Foundation/The Sole of Africa, a humanitarian organization dedicated to ridding Africa of landmines. The Sole of Africa is a Mineseeker Foundation supported by patrons the likes of President, Nelson Mandela, Sir Richard Branson, Queen Noor of Jordan, Graca Machel, John Paul DeJoria, Brad Pitt and Lord Richard Attenborough